✝️ Psalm 73:26 | The Nails Didn't Keep Him There

📧 In today’s email…

• 📕 A quick review of what we’ve learned this week

• 🗣️ Tell people what kept Jesus nailed to the cross

• 🧐 In case you missed it..

 🧠 Memorize

_{see if you know what words go in the blanks}

My _____ ___ __ _____ ___ ____,

but ___ __ ___ ________ of __ _____ and __ _______ forever.

Psalm 73:26

A review of what we’ve learned 🤔 

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve learned this week:

Background Context

Asaph is credited as the author of this Psalm.

• He’s a biblical figure and Levite descendant associated with 12 Psalms (he’s credited with writing Psalms 50, 73 and 83)

• He was appointed by King David (1 Chronicles 16:7) to lead worship in song and music

Passage Context:

Psalm 73 is known as a Lament - a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

In Psalm 73, Asaph expresses the internal struggle and doubts he’s experiencing because he sees people living without God who seem to be experiencing worldly success.

Eventually, he realizes that their success is fleeting and worthless and he affirms his desire to remain near God (v23-28).

Original Hebrew 🤓 

• In v26, the Hebrew word used for "my flesh" is šᵊ'ēr (good luck pronouncing that one!), which is used throughout the OT to mean ‘the body’ or ‘blood relative.’

• The word translated "heart" is lēḇāḇ (pronounced lay-vov) means ‘the inner man’ or ‘the mind’.

• Used together, Asaph is referring to the whole person

• The word translated as ‘rock’ or ‘strength’ is ṣûr emphasizing God's durability and reliability. He is the “rocky summit” of my heart.

The Hebrew word translated ‘portion’ or ‘inheritance’ is ḥēleq (pronounced khay'lek) is used by Asaph as a reference to God.

Asaph is declaring that God is his most valuable possession.

Strength = Submission 💪 

All throughout Scripture, we see this:

True strength and power is not found in self, but rather in submission to God.

All three of the enemy’s tests in the desert appeal to the legitimate power that Jesus had as the Son of God to overcome the failing of his flesh.

But each time, we see Jesus (weak in the flesh through fasting) choose submission.

At every fork in the road, Jesus chose to value the Father and His will above all else.

And that is the heart of our memory verse this week!

The Nails Didn’t Keep Him There ✝️ 

My kids’ storybook bible says this:

“It wasn’t the nails that kept Jesus nailed to the cross. It was his love.”

Praise God that Jesus chose submission to the Father’s will when he was at the fork in the road on the cross 🙏

Practice: Share 🗣️

This weekend, be on the lookout for an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus choice to go to the cross.

Share with them why Jesus came, and why he chose to submit his will and obey the Father’s will:

🤔 Challenge: This is too good of news to not share! Tell someone about Jesus and how he is your most valuable possession!

Recommended Resources 🎙️ 

In case you missed it, here’s this week’s round-up of recommended resources:

• 📹️ Bible Project: Overview of Psalms (link)

• 📕 The Bible (ESV | KJV | NIV)

• 🎨 Alabaster: A beautifully designed catalog of the Psalms (link)

• 📚️ Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis (link)

• 📚️ Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (link)

• 💻️ Got Questions: What does it mean that “God is my portion?” (link)

• 🎵 Psalm 73:25-26 by Verses (Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music)

Answer key ✅ 

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26

How did you do? 💡